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261. Sharing the Morsel With Him

Psalm 41:8-9, Matthew 26:20-25, Mark 14:18-21, Luke 22:21-23, John 13:18-30
Key Verse: "Even My close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared My bread, has lifted up his heel against Me."
Psalm 41:9; John 13:18B

History has painted Judas as evil personified. In doing this, however, we lose the sense of brotherhood that was present that night. Even though Jesus knew what Judas was about to do, He sincerely referred to Judas as, "friend," and that view of Judas by Jesus does not change. If you have ever been betrayed by someone close, in whom you have trusted, you can understand Jesus' emotions at this point. John says that "Jesus was troubled in spirit” and testified, "I tell you the truth one of you is going to betray Me." (John 13:20B) This was not an easy thing to accept for our Lord, especially after all they had been through together.

For our best understanding of the sequence of events that follow, I am going to rely on the three eye witnesses, Matthew, Mark, or (John Mark relaying Peter's account), and John. They are all very clear that the meal was in progress. Before drinking the second cup of wine, they had recounted how God had used the plagues on Egypt to bring about their deliverance.

After drinking this second cup, it would be time to share some matzo or, the bread of affliction. The bread is symbolic of the haste in which the people left Egypt. The leader, in this case Jesus, would take the unleavened bread and break it into pieces. Before distributing it, He would dip it in a bitter paste, horse radish is used today, to remind them of the bitterness of their slavery in Egypt. Jesus dipped the bread, or matzo like substance in the "maror," and then handed the first piece to the one sitting in the second place of honor, to His left, Judas. Then, John tells us, "As soon as Judas took the bread, satan entered him. As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out; and it was night." (John 13:28-&-30) Remember, not even the disciples suspected a thing at the time. In fact, they were all wondering if Jesus were talking about them, when He said, "One of you will betray Me." No one appears to have suspected Judas above anyone else of being capable of such evil. So, in hindsight, I'm sure that all of them had a sense of betrayal, but for now, only Jesus knew what was really happening.

Judas left after observing the history of the Jewish deliverance from physical slavery in Egypt. He missed out on what was to come, history in the making as God set his people free from slavery to sin and death. He had participated only in religious observance and he had gone as far as religious observance could take him. This will be true for all of us if we rely on religious practices to save us.

Yet, as we will see, Judas, even after all this, still had choices to make. It is never too late. In Christ, while there is life there is hope. The decision is always ours. Judas could go no further in this last meal with Jesus because of the choices he had made. Poor Judas, if he had only known his Lord.

Hymn: "God and Man at Table Are SatDown"

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